1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resin plate having plural busbar housing units and plural wire housing units and also to a busbar module having the resin plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 6, reference numeral 101 denotes a battery assembly (refer to JP-A-2011-77031, for example). The battery assembly 101 is an assembly (arrangement) of plural batteries 102 and is installed in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, etc. Each battery 102 has a pair of electrodes 103, that is, a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The battery assembly 101 is installed at a prescribed position in a vehicle to supply power to an electric motor.
In FIGS. 6 and 7, reference numeral 104 denotes a busbar module that is attached to the battery assembly 101 to connect the adjoining batteries 102 of the battery assembly 101 in series. The busbar module 104 includes a resin plate 105, plural busbars 106, plural terminals 107 (only one of which is shown as an example), wires 108 that are connected to the terminals 107, thermistors (temperature sensors; not shown), and wires (not shown) connected to the thermistors.
As shown in FIG. 7, the resin plate 105 which is an insulative resin mold has plural busbar housing units 109, plural wire housing units 110, and plural covers 111. The busbar housing units 109 are arranged in the battery arrangement direction and thereby form a busbar housing unit assembly row unit 112. Each wire housing unit 110 is disposed in the vicinity of one side 113 of the associated busbar housing unit 109. The wire housing units 110 are also arranged in the battery arrangement direction and thereby form a wire housing unit assembly row unit 114.
Reference numeral 115 denotes wire lead-out portions. Each wire lead-out portion 115 is formed so as to connect the associated busbar housing unit 109 and wire housing unit 110, in the direction perpendicular to the battery arrangement direction.
Each cover 111 is connected to one side 116 of the associated wire housing unit 110. Each cover 111 is formed as a member for covering the opening of the associated wire housing unit 110. The covers 111 are arranged in the battery arrangement direction and thereby form a cover assembly row unit 117.
The busbar housing units 109 of the busbar housing unit assembly row unit 112 are linked to each other by a U-shaped hinge 118, for example. The wire housing units 110 of the wire housing unit assembly row unit 114 are likewise linked to each other by a U-shaped hinge 119, for example. Furthermore, the covers 111 of the cover assembly row unit 117 are linked to each other by a U-shaped hinge 120, for example. The hinges 118-120 are formed as members for absorbing pitch variations of the batteries 102 (see FIG. 6), in other words, variations of dimensions in the battery arrangement direction.
The busbars 106 are formed by working a conductive metal plate. A pair of through-holes 121 are formed through each busbar 106 as portions through which electrodes 103 (see FIG. 6) are inserted. The busbars 106 are housed in and fixed to the respective busbar housing units 109 of the resin plate 105. Terminals 107, which serve to detect voltages, for example, are each laid on the associated busbar 106 so as to be registered with one through-hole 121. A wire 108 is connected to each terminal 107 and housed in the wire housing unit assembly row unit 114 (wire housing units 110) via a wire lead-out portion 115.
The thermistors (not shown) are attached at prescribed positions between the busbar housing units 109 and the wire housing units 110 (attaching portion are not shown). The wires (not shown) connected to the thermistors are housed in the wire housing unit assembly row unit 114. Various wires such as the wires 108 and the wires leading from the thermistors are housed in the wire housing unit assembly row unit 114 in the form of a bundle.
The following problems arise when it is intended to relocate part (e.g., the wires leading from the thermistors (not shown)) of the various wires now housed in the wire housing unit assembly row unit 114 to a wire housing unit 122 indicated by imaginary lines in FIG. 7 (the thermistor attachment positions should also be relocated to the side of the wire housing unit 122). Since the wire housing unit 122 indicated by the imaginary lines is distant from the other side 123 of the busbar housing units 109, the wire housing unit 122 located at such a distant position is rendered insufficient in strength. Furthermore, if it is attempted to employ, in the wire housing unit 122, to absorb variations of dimensions in the battery arrangement direction, link structures using a U-shaped hinges like the hinge 119, the above-mentioned insufficiency in strength becomes more serious. An additional problem is that the employment of such hinge structures complicate the molding die, resulting in a cost increase.
The present invention has been made in the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is therefore to provide a resin plate that is not rendered insufficient in strength even if part of various wires are housed at a distant position and that can absorb variations of dimensions in the battery arrangement direction, as well as a busbar module including such a resin plate.